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The Trinidad and Tobago football association has secured two international friendlies for the National Under 20 Men’s Team to take place in Guadeloupe from May 19-21st.

The TTFA accepted an invitation from the Guadeloupe Football Association for matches against its National Under 20 Team as both nations prepare for upcoming CONCACAF qualifying matches.

Currently, head coach Russell Latapy is overseeing preparations of the T&T squad in preparation for the CONCACAF U-20 qualifiers in November.

Latapy spoke about the upcoming matches and the benefits it would bring to the current programme.

“Every international games is important for us in preparation moving forward to the CONCACAF Qualification stage,’” Latapy told TTFA Media.

“We are at one place right now presently working on certain aspects of our preparation and playing these games is an important part of the overall process. We have brought several young players into the current pool and we will also use this opportunity to have a look at them before narrowing down the squad later in the year as we get close to the competition

“I’d like to thank the Trinidad and Tobago FA for securing these matches for us in Guadeloupe as obviously it gives us a chance to see where we’re at in terms of game readiness and what areas we need to address, again in the overall scope of preparing the team for the Concacaf qualification,” Latapy added.

FIFA could change Under 20 World Cup format

It was revealed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino that FIFA is looking to merge the youth tournaments to create a 48-team competition, emulating the expansion of the main World Cup. Officials are exploring the merits of an age cut-off at 18 or 19.

The women’s youth tournaments could also be combined to create a single 24-team event under plans that were considered in a meeting of the governing body’s competitions committee two weeks ago.

The proposals were discussed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino with some member associations during summits in Mauritania and Nigeria.

FIFA told The Associated Press the proposals form part of an ongoing review of competitions two years into Infantino’s presidency that has already seen the main World Cup expanded from 32 to 48 teams from 2026.

If eventually approved, there would be a far bigger jump in size for the U-17 and U-20 World Cups, with each biennial event for boys currently featuring 24 teams.

A single, potentially annual, 48-team youth competition would not pose the same logistical challenges faced by the expanded senior World Cup as doubleheaders in stadiums would mean fewer venues are required.

FIFA is trying to streamline the international youth soccer calendar. FIFA has more flexibility around immediate changes to its youth tournaments for boys as hosts for the 2019 events are yet to be selected.

But the women’s U17 and U20 World Cups will be staged this year in Uruguay and France respectively. North Korea will be defending both titles won in 2016.